Celebrating World Breastfeeding Week 2021: Aug. 1 - Aug. 7

World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) is a wonderful way to highlight the importance of breastfeeding. This year, for WBW 2021, the theme is "Protect Breastfeeding: A Shared Responsibility," which highlights the links between breastfeeding and survival, health and wellbeing of women, children and nations.

Breast milk is the perfect, natural food for your baby.
Breastfeeding can be a wonderful way to strengthen the bond between you and your baby. Breast milk also provides all the food and fluid your baby needs to grow. Additionally, babies can easily digest breast milk and colostrum — the thick milk moms-to-be make during pregnancy and just after birth.

Even these days during the COVID-19 pandemic, because of the numerous benefits of breastfeeding, the World Health Organization (WHO) still recommends that mothers with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 initiate or continue to breastfeed. The transmission of COVID-19 through breastmilk and breastfeeding has not been detected.

Breastfeeding provides unmatched health benefits for both baby and mom.

Infants who are breastfed have a reduced risk of:

• Asthma
• Lower respiratory infection
• Certain allergies
• Childhood obesity
• Gastrointestinal infections (diarrhea/vomiting)
• Eczema
• Ear infections
• Childhood leukemia
• Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)

Breastfeeding can help lower a mother’s risk of:

• High blood pressure
• Type 2 diabetes
• Breast and ovarian cancer
• Osteoporosis

Learn more at bch.org/breastfeeding